The Devi Bhagavatam: The Seventh Book: Chapter 1

1-5. Sûta said :-- Glad to hear the excellent divine stories of the Solar and Lunar races, the virtuous King Janamejaya, the son of Parîksit, again asked :-- “O Lord! I am now very eager to hear the increase of the two lines of Kings. O Sinless One! You know everything. So kindly describe, in detail, the pure histories, capable to destroy sins, of the kings and their characters. The kings of the Lunar and the Solar races were great Bhaktas of the Highest S'akti, S'rî Bhagavatî Devî; this I have heard. O Muni! Who wants not to hear further on the glorious anecdotes of the Bhaktas of the S'rî Devî?” When the Râjarsi asked thus, the Muni Krisna Dvaipâyan, the son of Satyavatî began to narrate gladly the several deeds of the Kings.

6-13. O King! I am now narrating to you in detail the origin, etc., of the Lunar and the Solar dynasties as well as of other kings in their connection. Hear attentively. The four-faced Brahmâ sprang from the navel of Visnu; engaged in practising Tapasyâ, he began to worship the Mahâ Devî Durgâ, extremely hard to conceive. Mahâ Devî, pleased at his worship, granted boon to Brahmâ; Brahmâ, the Grandsire of all the Lokas on thus getting the boon, became ready to create the world; but he could not create all on a sudden the human beings. Though the creation was eternally fashioned by the Pramâtmâ Bhagavatî, the four-faced Brahmâ thinking over in his mind variously, could not quickly spread it out and accomplish it as a veritable fact. Therefore He, the Prajâpati, first created mentally the seven mind-born sons. These were known by the names of Marîchi, Atri, Angirâ, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu and Vais'istha. Next sprang Rudra from the anger of Prajâpati, Nârada from his lap; Daksa from his right thumb. Thus Sanaka and the other Risis were also his mind-born sons. O King! The wife of Daksa was born from the left thumb of Prajâpati; this all-beautiful daughter is well known in all the Purânas by the name of Vîrinî and Asiknî. Nârada, the chief of the Devarsis, was born, on some other occasion in her womb.

14-17. Janamejaya said :-- “O Brâhmân! A great doubt arises in me to hear that the great ascetic Nârada was born of Daksa in the womb of Vîrinî. The Muni Nârada indeed, was the son of Brahmâ; moreover be was the foremost of the ascetics and especially endowed with the

knowledge of Dharma; how, then, can he be born of the womb of the Daksha's wife Vîrinî. Well, if that be so, then describe, in detail, that wonderful story of the birth of Nârada in the womb of Vîrinî.

18-31. O Muni! Under whose curse, the high-souled Nârada though very wise, had to leave his first body and be born again.” Vyâsa said :-- O King, Brahmâ, the Self-born, with a view to create offspring, ordered first Daksa :-- “Go and multiply innumerable children for the increase of the world.” Thus ordered by his father the Prajâpati Daksa produced five thousand powerful and heroic sons in the womb of Vîrinî. Seeing all the sons of Daksa, desirous to multiply, the Devarsi Nârada urged on, as it were, by Fate, began to laugh at them. How do you desire to multiply when you know not the dimensions and capacity of earth; so you will, no doubt, be put to ridicule and laughter. Rather, if you proceed on work, knowing beforehand the earth's capacity, your efforts will be fruitful. Otherwise, your attempt will no doubt, end in failures. Alas! You are awfully illiterate! Not knowing the dimensions of the world, you are ready to multiply your progeny; how, then, can you meet with success! Vyâsa said :-- O King! Hearing, all on a sudden, these words, Haryas'va and other sons began to speak with each other, “What this Muni has told, is very true. Let us then ascertain the earth's dimensions; we can easily multiply afterwards.” Thus saying, they all went out to reconnoitre the earth. Thus excited at Nârada's words, some went eastward, some southwards, some towards the north and some went to west all simultaneously and, as they liked, to make a survey of the earth. When the sons went away, Daksa became exceedingly sorry on their absence. Bent again on multiplying, he begat other sons; those sons again wanted to procreate. Seeing them, Nârada again laughed and said :--Alas! What fools are you! Not knowing the dimensions of the earth, why are you ready to procreate? They were deluded by Nârada's words, took them as true, and went out as their elder brothers did. Not being able to see those sons, Prajâpati Daksa became very sorrowful for them and cursed Nârada in rage.

32-38. Daksa said :-- “O Evil-minded One! You have destroyed my sons; so be yourself destroyed; you will have to be born in the womb for your sin in causing the death of my sons; you have caused my sons to go abroad; so you must be born as my son.” Thus cursed by Daksa, Nârada had to take his birth in the womb of Vîrinî. I heard also that the Prajâpati Daksa begat afterwards sixty daughters in her womb. O King! Daksa, the great knower of Dharma, then gave up the sorrows for his sons and married his thirteen daughters to the high-souled Kas'yapa,

ten daughters to Dharma, twenty-seven daughters to the Moon, two to Bhrigu, four to Aristanemi, two to Kris'âs'va and the remaining two to Angirâ. Their sons and grandsons, the Devas and Dânavas, became powerful but antagonistic towards each other. All of them were heroes and very Mâyâvis; so, deluded by their greed and jealousy, they quarrelled amongst each other.

Here ends the First Chapter in the Seventh Book on the beginning of the narrative of the Solar and the Lunar lines of kings in the Mahâ Purânam S'rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.